Life has a funny way of answering questions that one has... I was approached by another school last week about a job. This job would be in administration, and a great step up on the ole' career ladder, it would also be dealing with a completely different student population then I currently have. Oh, and the money is a bit more! I have struggled with "what to do" - do I go for it, do I stay where I'm at (which is certainly no second fiddle by any means!), the extra money would be nice.... yeah more money is always nice, right. :) But an hour ago, the answer to my question almost slapped me in the face. I walked into Wal-mart with my son and while I was walking in, a young girl came up to me who was walking out. She said "Mrs. Myers, I'm so glad to see you!" - she gave me a HUGE hug and told me that she is signed up for community college in the fall and is working - and that life is good. As she left, my son and I proceeded to get the things we came into the store for and headed to the car. At that moment that I turned on the car, I looked at him and said "I know my answer about the job thingy" - he said "she was one of your locked-up students, right"(he knows his Momma!) - I just said, you know I can't tell you that information. He said - I know you, your not leaving, I said "YOUR RIGHT." You see my life has never been driven by material wealth, power or things and I have had all those things and they didn't make me one bit happier than I am today. There has to be more to life than things is the way I have always seen it...even when I was young, but most certainly as I have grown older. I have never wanted the easy job - I never wanted the easy students... and I am not the only one who feels that way. I work with and have worked with an incredible group of men and women who are sincerely dedicated to working with the children that are left behind, the ones the world writes off. In our summer school program, we have 6 student teachers from Notre Dame with us. These are young college graduates who will be working in inner city schools all over the country this coming academic year! There are 3 girls and 4 guys... They are incredible! The passion and sense of mission they bring to the job will help to change lives. All of these professionals, the young and the old know that they will probably never be millionaries or celebrities, but as my father has always told me "A life of service, is a life well lived." - Yeah, what you do does matter in this life. I think I'll keep my job for now and just keep on truckin through. :) As is quoted in that great song: "whatever you do, do it with love"-MB